IMPROVED LINCOLN SHEEP.

Daily Southern Cross, Volume XIX, Issue 1734, 9 February 1863, Page 3

IMPROVED LINCOLN SHEEP.

By the 'Devonshire,' which arrived here on Saturday morning, we have received an addition to our stock of sheep, which will in all likelihood do much towards improving the breeds already acclimatised, and also establish a new flock in Auckland. Five sheep came by the 'Devonshire,' imported by our enterprising fellow-citizen Mr. Joseph Newman. They consist of two rains and two ewes, of the improved Lincoln sheep, from the premier flock of Thos. Kirkham, Esq., Biscathorpe, Lincolnshire ; and one pure Lincoln ewe, from tho flock of Chas. North, Esq., South Thoresby near Louth, Lincolnshire. The sheep arrived in pi'imo condition, looking very much as if they had been penned for a cattle show, and evidencing the great care that had been taken of them during the voyage from England. The peculiar merits of the improved Lincoln sheep is that its wool staple is finer than in the pure breed, while tho carcase is quite as large and comes to maturity sooner. Mr. Kirkham, the founder of this improved breed, (and who has obtained as distinguished a position among sheep farmers as Mr. Jonas TVebbo did on account of his Southdowns,) was led to make the experiments, which finally resulted in complete success, on account of tho tendency of the wool among pure Lincolns to run to cobs ; and he succeeded in producing a sheep which preserves all the good points of the parent stock without this very objectionable feature. Our sheep farmers will readily perceive the advantage to be gained by propagating this breed. It not \infrequcntly happens that a considerable porcontage of tho clip of pure Lincolns is lost from tho cause named ; and when there is no loss of weight in tho carcase, and no greater difficulty experienced in bringing the improved breed into primo condition than with, the pure breed, the loss in weight of fleece between the two will be more than made \ip by the finenoss of the staple and freedom from cobs. Mr. Newman, who has paid considerable atten.i . . ' the working of Mr. Kirkham's improved ilock, is of opinion that the sheep just imported by him will not have any tendency to increase in size, but that they will hold their own in this climate. It is his opinion that we do not now want any addition to the size of our sheep, which has been increased to a great extent of lato years, but that rather wo want a sheep, suited to tho climate which, while it will pay to breed for their carcase, will yield a fair clip of fine long staple wool suited for the English market. These points he considers he has obtained in his imported sheep ; and we state them thus fully on account of our agricultural readers, who are so largely interested in the improvement of stock. "whether tho imported sheep will come up to Mr. Newman's expectations, can bo determined only by time. But we must bear tosthnony to his enterprise in making tho attempt, at so much cost, to improvo the breeds of sheep in the country. It is now about nino years since he imported tho puro Lincoln ram, "Old Charley," which laid the foundation of all the improved flocks in tho district. If his present venture proves so successful, he will have conferred incalculable benefit on tho community.